Some good news at last, Omicron cases are falling rapidly across Shropshire and across most of the country. Here in Shropshire, the rate of infection has fallen by around 44% in the last seven days. Rates remain very high but the health impacts of Omicron are proving less than Delta.
Eight in 100 people in Shropshire have tested positive for Covid-19 in the last seven days, down from a peak of 18 in 100 ten days ago. In Telford & Wrekin 12 people in 100 tested positive, down from 20 in 100. In Ludlow, 15 in 100 people tested positive in the week to 9 January.
It’s all Omicron now. The variant, which emerged in mid-November, formed an estimated 99% of the cases in Shropshire and 96% of cases in England in the seven days to New Year’s Day. The good news is that it looks like Omicron cases are falling as quickly as they grew. That’s very different so far from Delta, which proved to be a rollercoaster ride with cases shooting up and down. That could still happen with Omicron but the high level of vaccination makes it less likely. We are however unlikely to come out of the pandemic until we have vaccinated the world and that is only just beginning.
Sixteen and 17-year-olds will be able to book their booster jabs or attend a walk-in vaccination centre from Monday, NHS England announced. Invitations will initially be sent to 40,000 teens who had a second vaccine dose at least three months ago. Eventually all 600,000 people aged 16 and 17 who have had two doses will be eligible for the booster.
